Episodes

This week we are joined by former screenwriter/actor, founder of KIF1A.org, and 2018 Rare Champion of Hope Honoree, Luke Rosen, who talks to us about the “We Need a Mouse” campaign. Luke and Kyle met at a rare disease event. When Kyle had their picture taken with his phone, Luke noticed the “2 Disabled Dudes” logo on Kyle’s cell phone case and only then recognized that Kyle was part of this podcast, which Luke listened to regularly! (Please remember to check out our merchandise page, because...

Barry Rice is a past recipient of the Ataxian Athlete Initiative and the founder of Cycle Ataxia, a bike ride fundraiser in Ireland benefiting Friedreich's ataxia (FA). Barry joins us from his home in Ireland, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. Barry tells us about his diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia, the same disorder that the Dudes have. He mentions how finally discovering the name of his illness was both disheartening and a sigh of relief. After his diagnosis, he feared...

No guests this week; just us two dudes, and we want to get some things off of our chest. First Kyle has some gripes about hotel-accessibility. Anybody has some cheese to go with Kyle’s whine? He should get a stress ball. Kyle shouts about shampoo reachability. And towels too. It’s easy to dismiss this aggravation as a small deal, a first-world problem. But accessibility is a fundamental issue for people with disabilities; without it, we can’t get around in the world. So even though we joke...

Shira Strongin lives with multiple physical issues but doctors can't seem to put their fingers on them all. She has some gene mutations that make her one-in-a-million but she's been "undiagnosed" for years. She started a blog, writing under the pen name Sick Chick when she was just 11 years old. So many women and girls related to it that it has now become an international organization called Sick Chicks - a support network of strong, chronically ill and disabled young women who choose to...

Francisco Sanchez is a 4th year resident in a Harvard affiliated Emergency Residency program who is about to become the first person to complete residency with a spinal cord injury. He shares his story in hopes that it will connect with others in similar situations. Francisco takes us with him on his journey from a big, 6’2 medical student, who met David Fajgenenbaum (Ep019) at a gym, because he needed a spot. After his injury, he was unable to move most of his body below his chest. In the...

Nic Novicki is an actor, comedian and producer who has performed on six continents. He is founder and director of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge which gives filmmakers – with and without disabilities – the opportunity to collaborate and tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms and support Easterseals’ goal to change the way the world defines and views disability, so everyone can reach his or her potential. Nic's television credits include: Boardwalk Empire,...

Today we talk to a 2016 recipient of the Ataxian Athlete Initiative, Les Ballard. Hailing from a town not many people have heard of in Tennessee, Les brings a much needed southern twang to our podcast with two disabled California yuppies. Les has an unspecified version of ataxia, and rode up to his first rideATAXIA event years ago, on a trike built for a child. (Note: Les is not a child.) He recounts for us his first attempt at the 50-mile ride at the rideATAXIA, and how a missed turn sent...

Arash Bayatmakou is author of the new memoir, Little Big Steps. Arash talks to us about his sudden transition to the world of disability, after a spinal cord injury when he was 30 years old left him paralyzed. He was shocked to discover that medical treatment of spinal injuries hadn’t changed in twenty years. Rather than succumb to the paradigm that the medical field sentenced him to, Arash decided to fight for hope. He defines acceptance as the ability to cope with your life in the...

Today we are happy to bring to you a conversation we had with Aimee Lyons, Kyle’s Crossfit coach and the owner of CrossFit King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Aimee talks to us about the importance of functional fitness - a fitness program designed to enhance our ability. This is the root of her goal as a physical trainer, and it’s essential to those of us with physical disabilities. Maintaining our functionality is key to us living longer and healthier lives - as is the case for everyone!...

We are excited to talk to Ilana Jacqueline - chronic disease patient, advocate and author of the new book Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness. Living with invisible chronic conditions can be frustrating and overwhelming - you often have to explain “why” in the face of skepticism and doubt - and that’s in addition to managing your symptoms, treatments and therapies. Ilana has two autoimmune diagnoses- PIDD and autonomia. If you are unfamiliar with what those are, you...

We are excited to bring you the recording of a live panel following the showing of the film The Ataxian, which is the movie both of us are featured in! You probably know about the movie by now- it focuses on our team's journey in Race Across America (RAAM), the world's toughest cycling event, trekking 3,000 miles from CA to MD. This movie serves as a vehicle which introduces viewers to the FA (Friedreich’s Ataxia) community. The documentary screening was the kick-off event for Rare Disease...

We are proud to present the second half of our interviews at Reata Pharmaceutical, this time it is all about Patient Advocacy and Patient Voice. Today is also the first day of Rare Disease Week, a US initiative sponsored by Rare Advocates, a week for those in the rare disease community to meet with our national senators and representatives in DC.Sean and Kyle are here in DC, along with our two behind-the-scenes dudes Jake and Matt, helping to amplify the patient voice! February is global...

We’re excited to bring you the first of two episodes about the drug development process we recorded LIVE at Reata Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Irving, TX. In this episode, we talk to Warren Huff, the founder and CEO, and Dr. Collin Meyer, Chief Medical Officer. In a behind-the-scenes look at a pharmaceutical company, we hear the background stories of both Mr. Huff and Dr. Meyer, as well as the origin of Reata. One of our guests divulges that he owns a Viper and races cars. Listen to...

When tomorrow is filled with uncertainty, we learn to make the most out of each day. Katie Stevens begins with the personal story of her son’s diagnosis with Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC), a rare genetic disorder. But she ends with a feeling of hope and confidence. Katie is the president of Dyskeratosis Congenita Outreach: dcoutreach.org. Katie tells us about the diagnosis of her son before he was a teenager. Because genetic testing didn’t seem necessary, his DC was diagnosed as bone marrow...

Without gratitude, it’s easy for us to focus on our struggles in life. Living with a disability seems like a great excuse for us to get bogged down by negativity, to brood over how simple tasks can be a lot more difficult or even impossible for us to do on our own. This difficulty is not something we choose to dwell on and we discourage others from focusing on it, but we have to acknowledge that it exists. Sometimes living in the shadow of frustration at what we can’t do is much more...

This episode features the other half of the 2DD Production Team. We interview Jake Tompkins & Matt LaFleur and talk about what they do and why they do it. This show wouldn't be possible without their help. We record from opposite sides of the country, causing some logistical challenges that these other guys are better at then us (mostly Sean). Tune in to hear more about Jake and Matt and how this show comes together!

We began this project a year ago, hoping to give a voice to those who choose their own attitudes in the face of challenges that life serves up. So here we are, 30+ episodes later, and the 2 Dudes have come to realize how the podcast is kept alive and strong by the group of people it brings together! In this, our one year anniversary episode, we focus on the fact that the podcast is held up by you as a listener. And you are the reason why we can’t wait to continue this next year! In this...

Many of our listeners know that we are approaching our one year anniversary! In two weeks we are going to feature an episode that includes a few of our loyal listeners plus Jake and Matt, the two behind-th-scenes Dudes that make this show possible. While we are busy preparing the anniversary episode we are bringing you one of our most listened-to episodes - the very first one, from December 12, 2016. Enjoy!

“It’s a wonderful life; it’s just a different life.” We interview Paul Avery, CEO of World of Beer; former COO of the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, father of two daughters diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia (FA); and chair of the board of the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). The transition from being in the business of running successful restaurants to becoming forefront in the research and treatment of a rare disease was a sudden and unexpected change: but not a shift...